The Night of the Mi'raj

by Zoe Ferraris

An understated, sometimes wryly humorous investigation of Saudi Arabian society - 'the only affluent country that makes half its population veil their eyes whilst insisting that the other half can see through bricks' - as well as a genuine 'whodunnit'. Also worth reading for the development of the relationship between hero and heroine and the (fairly) upbeat ending.

Extract

'Why would someone kidnap her?' Samir asked. 'There was no ransom demand.'
'Possibly to silence her. She was pregnant.'
Samir nodded. 'Don't you find the cover-up suspicious?'
'They want to solve this one alone. That makes them just like every other rich family, it doesn't mean they're guilty.'